ACTIVITIES THAT TEACH YOUR CHILDREN KINDNESS
Kindness activates the joyful area of the brain, making you feel happy. And when it comes to children, children that are happy are able to increase their feelings of belonging and self-esteem.
But not all acts of kindness come naturally for children, especially when they’re young. But teaching them about kindness when they’re children establishes those tendencies from a young age, making it easier for them to spread kindness when they’re older.
Early childhood education also plays an important role in developing kindness. When your child is ready to start preschool or pre-kindergarten, sign them up at Discovery Tree Academy in Springville and Payson!
TEACHING KINDNESS
Kindness is an important character trait that you can start teaching your children from an early age. From sharing with others to always coming from a place of kindness, we’ve found some different activities that can help you teach your children kindness.
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
Take some time to teach your kids what random acts of kindness they are, and why they are important. If you want some impactful examples, you can find plenty of online examples that show how a small gesture or act can leave a big impact.
Once they understand what random acts of kindness are, talk with them about the ways they could show kindness to their friends or family. Is there a random act of kindness you could help them with at home? This could be writing a letter to a family member or sending an encouraging message to someone from their class.
MAKE HELPING OUT THE NORM
When your children are home, making helping out around the house natural and expected. This will show them the impact they can have working together with you and the other people in your house. Then, when they visit another home or are at school, helping out or offering to help will become the norm for them.
TEACH THEM TO RESPECT THE EARTH
Gestures that take care of the earth, like recycling or not littering, are a type of kindness that might not directly benefit the people around them but still makes an impact. Teach them about the earth and how litter and pollution cause harm to our environments. Once recycling and cleaning up after themselves is natural, they can pass along those qualities to their peers and friends.
READ BOOKS ABOUT KINDNESS
The encouragement of reading or being read to is important for children of any age. While you’re having them read or reading to them, consider choosing a book that shows kindness. Then, when you’re done reading that story, you have a great opportunity to talk through that kindness with your child, how it made them feel, and how they could display that kindness themselves.
MAKE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION A PRIORITY
The encouragement of reading or being read to is important for children of any age. While you’re having them read or reading to them, consider choosing a book that shows kindness. Then, when you’re done reading that story, you have a great opportunity to talk through that kindness with your child, how it made them feel, and how they could display that kindness themselves.